Shewanella Species as Potential Emerging Pathogens in Oysters and Seawater from Apalachicola, Chesapeake and Maryland Coastal Bays

The overall goal of this project is to investigate the prevalence of potentially pathogenic Shewanella spp. in oysters and seawater samples collected from the Apalachicola Bay (AB), Florida, the Chesapeake Bay (CB) and the Maryland Coastal Bays (MCBs), Maryland to enhance seafood safety and water quality research, outreach, and extension at two HBCUs. The specific objectives are:1) To investigate the prevalence of potentially pathogenic Shewanella species in AB, CB and MCBs; 2) To study the effect of environmental factors such as temperature, salinity, pH, and chlorophyll a on the prevalence of Shewanella in oysters and seawater; 3) To characterize Shewanella recovered from oyster and seawater using phenotypic (antimicrobial susceptibility testing) and genotypic (Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis) methods; 4) To share the research findings with the public, seafood industry and regulatory agencies; and 5) To increase capacity and enhance student educational and leadership opportunities.